Pet Trivia

• Labrador Personal Ad.
• Childhood Allergies
• U.K. Slimmer of the Year 2004

Labrador Personal Ad.

The following ad. was in the Atlanta Journal:

SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I'm a very good looking girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping, and fishing trips, cosy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. Rub me the right way and watch me respond. I'll be at your front door when you come home from work, wearing only what nature gave me. Kiss me and I'm all yours. Call xxx-xxxx and ask for Daisy.

Over 15,000 men found themselves talking to the local Humane Society about an 8-week-old Labrador Retriever.

Childhood Allergies

Childhood Allergies are on the rise, but research suggests bringing up children in a house with pets may be a good way to keep children healthy.

In a study following 474 children from birth to age six or seven, allergy specialist Dennis Ownby of the Medical College of Georgia found that those who had been exposed to two or more household cats or dogs since birth were less likely to react to allergens than those born into animal-free homes. Early exposure to the normal bacteria carried on pets may encourage the proper functioning of the immune system in these children.

Pets are not a solution for all kids however: if the child has already developed a sensitivity, introducing a dog or cat into the home is likely to make it worse.

Original MCG news article from 2002: www.mcg.edu/news/2002NewsRel/ownby.html

U.K. Slimmer of the Year 2004

Max Gray was the well deserved winner of the title Hill's Slimmer of the Year 2004. Max now lives in Middleton, Milnathort with Maggs & Brian Gray, and has done since 2003 when they acquired him from PADS Animal Rescue Centre. He was only 3 years old but through the misguided kindness of his previous owners he weighed 55kg and found any activity difficult and tiring. He waddled around, panting a lot and had little energy for play.

Maggs saw in the huge dog something she liked but knew he wouldn't live long or happily as he was, simply he had to loose weight. The answer was easy: set a target weight, stick to diet and be patient. With the help and encouragement of veterinary nurse Lee-Anne, Max now weight 30kg, is happy, lively, full of fun and a celebrity!

The diet Max was given was Hill's R/D, it works for cats as well as dogs and comes in dry or tinned form. If you would like further information on obesity in pets, contact Alphavet or refer to Hill's website.